The Inhabitants of Gurjaani Village Held a Protest

20.08.2009

The inhabitants of Gurjaani village held a protest and demanded the release of peasants Givi and Aleksandre Papalashvilis who were arrested yesterday. The protesters claim that the peasants arrested are innocent and that if they are not released the villagers will hold a protest in front of the Gurjaani village police station.

The police arrested Givi and Aleksandre Papalashvilis yesterday. The allegations are that Givi and Aleksandre Papashvilis caught Soso Kochlamazashvili stealing peaches, held and beat him. The police arrested Givi and Aleksandre Papalashvilis on the charge of illegally depriving Soso Kochlamazashvili of his liberty.

Mzia Khuroshvili, a protester, claims that the police arrested the Papalashvilis illegally. “They are decent and hardworking people. A thief (Soso Kochlamazashvili) has admitted robbery of the peaches. He wrote a letter where he admits the robbery. I was there when Kochlamazashvili admitted the robbery. No one used violence against him. We are astonished by what is going on in this unfair country. The police are arresting innocent people instead of fighting crime,” said the protester.

Tina Kochlamazashvili, the mother of Soso Kochlamazashvili denies that her son had stolen peaches. “My son is in Tbilisi now. He is being treated. He was tortured. He had not stolen the peaches and no one caught him in a robbery. It will serve Papalashvilis right if they go to jail,” says Tina Kochlamazashvili.